


All True

by Lucinda Morningstar (Schierke86)



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Chloe's reaction, it's a lot to process, post-reveal, takes place right after the finale cliffhanger
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-05-29 22:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15083591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schierke86/pseuds/Lucinda%20Morningstar
Summary: The sight was unbearable, horrific, yet she found herself unable to look away. His skin was peeled raw and burnt. Whole chunks of flesh were missing, carving holes in his skull and face. His eyes were fixing her, red with a faint glow, like smoldering fire in embers.She didn’t know what was worse. The casual way in which he’d turned around to face her, revealing his monstrous appearance, or the expression completely out of place in those hellish eyeballs, so gentle and full of fondness at first, before it shifted to confusion and worry when he noticed her reaction. Or his voice, so familiar and so odd with that face, pronouncing the word she’d grown to hear as an endearment."Detective?"It was so wrong. It was all so, so wrong. She stepped back instinctively, raising her hand slightly, silently begging him to stay away.





	1. All True

"It’s all true", she whispered, staring at him. "It’s all true."

She was frozen to the spot, her mind numb. The creature standing in front of her, that for years she’d thought of as her partner, her friend, and even something more, was the literal Devil, and now that painful truth was literally staring her in the face.

The sight was unbearable, horrific, yet she found herself unable to look away. His skin was peeled raw and burnt. Whole chunks of flesh were missing, carving holes in his skull and face. His eyes were fixing her, red with a faint glow, like smoldering fire in embers.

She didn’t know what was worse. The casual way in which he’d turned around to face her, revealing his monstrous appearance, or the expression completely out of place in those hellish eyeballs, so gentle and full of fondness at first, before it shifted to confusion and worry when he noticed her reaction. Or his voice, so familiar and so odd with that face, pronouncing the word she’d grown to hear as an endearment.

"Detective?"

It was so wrong. It was all so, so wrong. She stepped back instinctively, raising her hand slightly, silently begging him to stay away.

He didn’t make a move toward her. His eyes grew wider, going from worry to fear. Slowly, he looked down to contemplate the scene he was offering her : Pierce’s lifeless body lying next to him, Maze’s knife stuck deep in his chest. His men, unconscious on the floor. The wrecked loft littered with debris of glass, dust and bullet casings, and an incredible amount of white feathers tainted with blood. Then his eyes fell on his own hands, and finally, _finally_ , comprehension dawned.

A muffled sound of horror escaped his throat as trembling, scorched fingers tentatively touched his face. For a second, she saw him sway and thought he might collapse, but he just turned his back to her, to hide himself, even though it was far too late for that.

She wasn’t sure if she’d blinked, but suddenly his hair and skin were back. He looked human again.

His whole body was tense, and he didn’t turn back to face her. In fact, he wasn’t moving at all, and Chloe was awfully tempted to take on her heels.

Instead, almost out of reflex, she reached for her gun, and realised it wasn’t in her holster. It was on the floor, near Pierce… Right next to Lucifer. Of course. She’d dropped it when she was shot.

"Looking for this?" he said, finally moving, as he put his foot on the gun.

Her heart sank. Somehow, even with his back turned, he’d sensed that her first move had been to reach for her weapon.

He was facing her now, but his eyes remained fixed on the ground, never meeting hers.

"Here", he said, his voice blank and hollow, and terribly soft.

With a little kick he sent the gun right at her feet.

She didn’t make a move to pick it up, still staring at him, unable to utter a word.

"Well go on, then", he prompted her. "Let’s get it over with ! It’s obvious you want to."

He spread his arms and puffed out his chest, daring her to shoot him down, reminding her of another time, long ago, when he’d tried to convince her to shoot him, to prove to her that he was, indeed, the Devil. She had eventually, just a graze on the leg, and he’d bled, to his own bewilderment. That was the moment she decided to ignore his "delusions", because he clearly had deep issues and could be a danger to himself. That’s when she stopped looking for tricks and explanations for his "mojo" and general weirdness. That’s when she started to be in complete denial about everything related to her partner and his "luciferness".

 

For the first time she noticed the bullet holes in his shirt. But the skin under it was intact, and there was no trace of blood. So… he really was immortal and invulnerable after all ?

"Oh don’t worry, you can kill me, I promise", he said, following her gaze. "You were too far away when Cain tried to shoot me, but now you’re close enough, it will work."

She felt nauseous. He was in earnest. He sincerely thought she’d want to shoot him in cold blood right where he stood, for no other reason than him being what he was. Not only that, he was willing to let her.

As for the part about her being too far away or close enough for him to be killed… She didn’t even want to know what that meant. She just couldn’t go there right now.

 

She shook her head with all the vigor she could muster. She wasn’t going to shoot him. She’d reached for the gun as a way to feel safe ; not to hurt him. She was freaked and scared out of her wits, her whole worldview had suddenly been turned upside down and her brain was reduced to mush, but even now she knew, deep in her core, that he would never, ever do anything to hurt her.

She took a shaky breath, trying to regain control over herself. It really wasn’t a good time to black out, or make a monumental mistake she’d regret forever. This was still the Lucifer she knew… Right ? Her partner, her friend… That hadn’t been an act. After all, he didn’t lie, did he ?

No, he didn’t. Everything he told her, from the very begining, no matter how crazy it sounded. It was all true. Literally true.

 

Her phone buzzed, making both of them jump.

She took the call ; it was Dan again.

"Y… Yeah ?" she said in a somewhat uneven voice.

"Chloe, you ok ? I called for back up, they should arrive any second now. Don’t do anything until they’re here ! Me and Ella are on our way, we just need to escort our guest to the precinct first."

Oh shit. Oh. Shit.

"Huh… it’s over now", she said, speaking like a robot. "Pierce is dead. All his men are down, or…" she mentally counted them and compared the number with how many she remembered from before. "…or fled the scene".

"He’s dead ?!?" Dan shouted, making her wince. "Son of a bitch !"

"Yeah, sorry", she said, then hung up.

She could understand his frustration ; she’d felt exactly the same when her father’s murderer had been killed instead of serving his sentence in jail. Although, if Lucifer was the Devil, then it meant that Hell was real too. And likely, Pierce was headed there right now. To be tortured for all eternity.

Shit. She really couldn’t deal with this stuff right now. Maybe she’d never be able to. Maybe that’s why it took her so long to accept the truth about him, despite all the signs, all the evidence she’d resolutely turned a blind eye to.

Some detective she was.

 

Lucifer was perfectly still and silent now, studying her intently. He hadn’t moved closer in all this time, and she was both grateful for it and oddly annoyed.

She heard the sirens in the distance. Reinforcement was already here. Which was… not good.

So far, she’d been too caught up in Lucifer’s actual-devilishness to really pay attention to her surroundings. But now she was contemplating the feathers – so many… and everywhere… and why were they all splattered with blood ? – and the knife, and all the bodies either dead or just unconscious, she wasn’t sure. And how were they going to explain the gigantic hole where the window should be ? The place looked like it’d just received the impromptu visit of a wrecking ball. Which was really a mightily pissed fallen angel. It was just great.

"Do you wish me to leave, Detective ?"

"What ?" she said.

It came out harsher than she’d intended.

"Do you want me to go ?" he repeated, drumming the words as if he actually thought she was hearing impaired.

"And let me deal with this whole mess on my own ?" she snapped back. "No, thanks."

He blinked, looking almost sheepish. Chloe was astonished by her own hostility, but decided not to dwell on it. Anger was good right now. Anger was much, much better that terror or panic : it wasn’t crippling or paralysing. And she was going to need all her focus in the coming hours.

 

 

As it turned out, lying about the whole event wasn’t nearly as hard as she’d dreaded. She didn’t even have to lie, actually : just sticking to the truth (a right amount of it) was enough, and the other cops filled the gaps for her.

According to her statement, she and Lucifer had arrived on the scene, where they were ambushed by Pierce and his men. Pierce had threatened to kill Lucifer. She’d tried to talk him out of it, failed, was shot and lost consciousness, fortunately saved by her bulletproof vest. When she woke up, she found that Lucifer had taken down the men and killed Pierce in self defense.

Then she let Lucifer give his version of the story, that is to say the literal truth. Obviously it sounded insane, even though she strongly suspected he had omitted the craziest parts. And despite the hundreds of feathers testifying to the truth, it was immediately brushed off by everyone as his usual "devil talk". Nobody knew where the feathers came from, but everybody agreed that it wasn’t coming from angel wings, because _angels don’t_ _exist_. The holes in his shirt ? Of course he had been wearing a bulletproof vest, just like Chloe. And the giant hole in the wall ? That one was tricky, sure. Maybe a helicopter with a machine gun had been involved at some point ? After all, if Pierce was the Sinnerman, everything was possible.

 

Chloe felt a bitter taste in her mouth, watching her coworkers do exactly what she’d done for years : denying a deeply disturbing truth and desperately clinging to any theory that seemed more plausible. Including the tragic irruption of a giant albatross in the middle of a shooting inside of a building, in the middle of LA. Ella was so excited about the feathers it was unsettling. It was the "full yoga massacre" mystery all over again.

Lucifer and her exchanged a look ; he broke it off almost instantly, and she felt another inexplicable pang of frustration.

 

But she didn’t have a chance to figure out what it meant. Because someone else was angry at Lucifer right now.

"How could you do that, you selfish asshole !"

Dan was yelling in Lucifer’s face, two other cops barely managing to hold him back. Lucifer was looking down at him, standing straight, a deep frown on his face, more perplexed than offended.

Still. Dan had no idea who he was actually yelling at. Chloe did.

Quickly she intervened, placing herself in front of Lucifer, facing Dan. In the movement she brushed against her partner, who immediately stepped back to avoid contact.

"Dan please, calm down. This isn’t Lucifer’s fault."

"Of course it is ! If he’d exposed Pierce as the Sinnerman as soon as he found out, Charlotte would still be alive ! And now he’s never gonna face justice for what he’s done to her, because Lucifer killed him !"

"Trust me Daniel, Pierce is paying for his crimes as we speak", Lucifer said evenly, sending chills down Chloe’s spine.

"Fuck off with your devil nonsense, man ! This isn’t a joke !"

"I am not joking, I assure you", Lucifer replied, his tone getting a little too sinister to Chloe’s taste.

"Okay, enough !" she said. "Dan, I understand how you feel, but this is still a crime scene. Let’s all act like professionals until this is over, please."

"Yeah, right, leap to his defense as always", Dan retorted.

She felt hot in the face as if he’d just slapped her.

"I’m not…", she started.

"Yeah, you are. But you know what ? That’s fine. You’re right. We’re professionals. The damage is done, so let’s just… do our jobs. That shit stain may be dead, but I’ll be damned if I don’t see his reputation destroyed at least. Everyone will know what kind of monster he really was, and no one will regret that he’s gone."

The hatred and determination in his eyes were scary. Scarier was the fact that all the while he was staring intently at Lucifer as if his words were meant for him.

Chloe turned to her partner, who was looking back at Dan, pale in the face.

Her old self would have reached out to him, touched his arm to comfort him, asked him if he was ok. She almost did. But… His devilish appearance was still burning in her mind (how apt !), and she didn’t dare touch him. Asking him, the literal Lord of Hell, if he was ok, suddenly seemed ludicrous.

He was the Devil. He wasn’t even human. He was older than time itself – probably. How could she presume to "comfort" him ?... Love him ?...

It suddenly dawned on her that she had to reconsider everything she’d assumed she knew about him so far. For example, the fact that he wasn’t in the least bit crazy and suffered no delusions. Or that he was unable to grasp some basic human emotions or concepts because, literally, he wasn’t human. That his dad, who was apparently the shittiest parent ever, was indeed God himself, all powerful and omniscient. Or… the fact that he really did spend eons torturing souls in Hell.

Holy fuck. "Disturbing" didn’t even _begin_ to cover it.

 

"I believe my presence here is no longer required", he said suddenly, looking her in the eyes for the first time since she’d seen his devil face.

"Huh ?... what ?" she blurted.

"I gave my statement, as you asked. My services are no longer needed, are they ?"

His eyes were guarded, his voice clipped, his posture rigid and frozen.

 

 _You don’t need me_ , he’d said two nights before.

She knew he was begging her to tell him that she still wanted him here, that they were still partners, that nothing between them was changed despite what just happened, but she was simply unable to do that right now.

 

 _You’re not the devil… not to me_.

Except now, he was. She’d seen it. She couldn’t deny it any longer. And she was absolutely terrified of everything it involved.

 

 _I was afraid. Afraid that if you saw all of me, knew all of me… You’d run away_.

She desperately tried to think of something to say, something to reassure him, make him understand that she was freaking out right now and that she needed some time to process the ton of bricks that just fell on her, but nothing came.

"O… Ok", was all she could manage.

He closed his eyes briefly and exhaled through his nose.

"Right", he muttered. "Goodbye, Detective."

And with that, he turned his heels and left without a backward glance.

The finality of his last words cut through her like a hot knife. The memory of white sheets spread all over his furniture at the penthouse made her stomach ache. Part of her longed to run after him, stop him, make him stay, tell him… anything. But the rest of her was just petrified. She simply stood there, watched him leave for what felt like an eternity, her limbs weighing a ton, and her voice stuck in her throat. She knew there was a very real chance that this was the last time she was ever going to see him, and she honestly didn’t know wether she felt more miserable about it, or relieved.


	2. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had never felt so miserable since the Fall, and he knew he had no one to blame for it but himself.
> 
> Before, he would have conveniently accused his Father and his manipulations for all his agony… But he knew better now.
> 
> And it felt so much worse.

He had never felt so miserable since the Fall, and he knew he had no one to blame for it but himself.

Before, he would have conveniently accused his Father and his manipulations for all his agony… But he knew better now.

And it felt so much worse.

 

She saw it. She saw _him_.

At the worst possible moment, in the worst possible way.

He had tried to show her before, of course. He _wanted_ her to know. After all, she deserved the truth.

But not like this.

 

It would have been so easy to show her the wings, but he never did because he wanted her to see who he really was, and the wings had felt like a lie. Until he realised that Amenadiel was right : that the wings weren’t his Father’s doing, but his own.

And just when he’d finally started to accept them, just when he’d allowed himself to believe that he could change, that he and the Detective could be together… He had to go and destroy everything.

 

_Deep down, you know you’re a monster, and that you belong in Hell where you will torture yourself with that truth for eternity. Because no matter what you tell yourself, you can’t outrun what you’ve done. What you truly are._

He really was a monster. The wings had been a lie, a lie he told himself. In the end, there was no escaping his true nature.

He was evil.

He killed Pierce because he wanted to, not because he had to.

He’d made sure that he would feel remorse in his last moments, so that he would go down to Hell and not Heaven. He’d knowingly condemned him to an eternity of torment… and he’d savored every second of it.

And just in that awful moment, she’d walked in, and seen him for what he truly was.

A monster.

The shock and fear in her eyes still haunted him.

Her first instinct had been to reach for her gun, to protect herself from him. He certainly didn’t fault her for it.

 

It made no doubt in his mind that now she hated him and wanted nothing more to do with him.

Strangely, he felt very calm about it, almost relieved. He’s spent so long wondering if she could accept him, dreading that she would reject him and that he would lose her forever… Well, now at least, he knew. It was all over.

 

He sighed deeply and took a sip from the glass of whisky placed on his piano.

The ding of the elevator rang and he turned his head to see his visitor enter. The last person he expected to see was Chloe. And sure enough it wasn't her.

 

"I got your text", Maze said, marching in the penthouse. "What do you want ? Make it quick, I’m in a hurry."

Lucifer took in her dishevelled appearance ; she looked like she just fought an entire army all by herself.

"What happened to _you_  ?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"That prick Cain happened. Now I need to find him and give him a very slow and painful death, so if you don’t mind, let’s skip the chit-chat."

"Sorry, Maze. You arrive too late, I’m afraid. He’s already dead."

She paused.

"What ?! What happened ?", she demanded, clearly furious that someone dared steal her prey.

"I killed him."

She stared at him for several seconds, her face blank.

"You. Killed him." she repeated, absorbing the information.

"Yes."

"But… You can’t. Your Father’s gonna be pissed !"

"That is really the least of my concerns at the moment."

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion rising.

"What the hell is going on ?"

"Well", he sighed, "to sum up : Pierce tried to kill Amenadiel, but he killed Charlotte Richards instead and Amenadiel took Charlotte’s soul to Heaven. The Detective and I went to confront him, fell into a trap, the Detective almost got killed, I killed Cain, and my Devil face came back just in time for her to see it. I’m sure you can imagine how well she reacted."

Maze was frowning.

"Hold on, how did Amenadiel take Charlotte’s soul to Heaven ? His powers are gone !"

" _Were_ gone", he corrected her. "His wings grew back, obviously. He actually had a very interesting theory about it the last time I saw him, turns out he was right. And now that he figured out a way to return to the Silver City, I doubt we’ll hear about him anytime soon. Anyway, that’s not important right now. The reason I sent you that message, is that I wanted to inform you that we’re going home."

She blinked.

"Home ?" she repeated, not understanding.

"Yes, home !" he said impatiently. "Hell ! The Underworld ! We’re leaving as soon as possible, so I suggest you start packing now. Also you might want to take your things from the Detective’s appartment before she gets back from work. I doubt she’ll be too keen to see you there now that she knows you’re an actual demon from Hell."

Maze’s frown deepened.

"Are you serious ?"

"Of course I’m serious. She’s an excellent shot and you know how protective of her offspring she is."

She closed her eyes, shook her head.

"No, I mean, are you _seriously saying you’re going back to Hell ?_ " she yelled.

"Yes", he retorted, "And I assumed you would be pleased, considering how you’ve been pestering me about taking you back, then literally tortured me because I refused. Guess what ? Now you’re getting your wish. So go on and get ready ! Chop chop !"

She stared at him… Then burst out laughing.

A bitter, ironic laugh.

"Wow… I never imagined my plan would work out so perfectly. I didn’t even have to set you up, you just went and ruined your life on Earth all on your own. Too bad I’m not interested in leaving anymore."

"What ?" he growled.

She rolled her eyes, apparently baffled by his slow-mindedness.

"Why did you think I sided with that asshole Cain ? I was helping him get rid of his mark, make Chloe fall for him. I was gonna kill him, make it look like _you_ did it, so you couldn’t work with Chloe anymore and had no choice but to leave…"

Lucifer was glaring at her, a faint red glimmer around his irises.

"Well haven’t _you_ been a busy little bee", he snarled.

"But", she continued, unimpressed, "he double-crossed me, decided he didn’t want to die anymore. Then he tricked me and drugged me and I had to fight fourteen of his stupid stooges to get out of the factory where he was holding me."

"Yes, poor you", Lucifer commented coldly.

She shrugged.

"In the end I did change my mind about framing you, though. I made up with Linda. Turns out, I want to stay here on Earth after all. I want to be with my friend", she finished, looking pointedly at him in a way that meant : "because Linda _is_ my friend, unlike you who care only about yourself".

"Wonderful. Then I suppose I’ll be leaving alone", he concluded, standing up. "Good luck with your life among humans, Mazikeen. And if their feelings and mortality turn out to be too much for you… well, it’s only gonna last forever."

Her smile fell. Was he really going to leave her behind and never come back ? And what about Chloe ? After _everything_ , he was just giving up on her like this, without a fight ?!

"Lucifer, wait…", she called.

But he silenced her by raising his hand. He was done listening to her.  

With a movement of his shoulders, he unfurled his wings, ready to go.

 

Except the wings didn’t appear.

 

They both stood looking at each other, astounded.

Lucifer looked behind his back, rolled his shoulders again. Nothing happened.

"Bloody Hell", he mumbled.

Of course they were gone.

He should have known.

He felt like a monster again. Unworthy of his wings. So of course he lost them.

Admitting defeat, he let out yet another sigh and emptied his glass of whisky in one gulp.

"Well then. I guess I’ll just move to Vegas."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments!  
> I hope you'll enjoy the rest.


	3. Self-Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the investigation on Pierce's criminal activities as the Sinnerman continues, Chloe struggles with her recent revelation about Lucifer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning : I have no idea what is supposed to happen when a dead police officer is suspected of corruption, so there might be slight improbabilities in the procedural part of this chapter. XD

The rest of the day had been so intense, Chloe barely had a moment to reflect on what had happened with Lucifer.

In the aftermath of Pierce’s death, the precinct was in a state of uproar. Most cops had a really hard time accepting that their Lieutenant was in fact the Sinnerman, a legendary crime boss who evaded the authorities for years, and who’s activities could be traced back to his time in Chicago PD, maybe even further back. Compared to this, a few feathers and a hole in a wall quickly lost their intrigue.

The entire department would soon be under investigation from internal affairs. The suits, who until now had treated Pierce like a rock star, were sweating bullets : the investigation would create a huge PR mess, and likely heads were gonna roll. They would have loved nothing more than to sweep the whole case under the rug. Which is why Dan was adamant that they needed to gather as much proof as they could before the case was transferred to internal affairs, to make sure it couldn’t be covered up. They didn’t have much time, Chloe and Lucifer’s testimony was sketchy at best, and unfortunately, so far the interrogation of Marcus’s men was leading nowhere. Even dead, apparently he inspired enough fear or loyalty for them to keep their mouths shut. Either that, Chloe thought, or for some reason they didn’t feel like rambling about angel wings and immortal men.

As hours went by, Dan looked worse and worse. Ella was confined in her lab, trying as hard as she could to get something out of the evidence, but her dedication still hadn’t payed off. So far Chloe had been only too happy to bury herself in work and avoid thinking about her missing partner. But after the fifth time Dan asked her why the hell Lucifer wasn’t in the interrogation room with them, using his « parlor trick » to extract a confession out of Pierce’s men, her resolve started to shake.

« Look I’m not an idiot », Dan said, getting desperate. « You and Lucifer were weirder than usual on the scene earlier, obviously something’s going on between you two. But you’re the one who said we should be professional on this case, and as much as I hate to admit it, we need him ! I tried to call him a dozen times, left him I don’t know how many messages and I got no response at all. Call him, please. If it’s you who ask him, I’m sure he’ll come and help. »

She could see how deeply this case was affecting him ; to him, exposing Pierce and dismantling his operation for good was the only way to get justice for the woman he loved. She knew he would be devastated if they failed, and for his sake she felt she ought to do everything in her power to help. She’d hoped they could do it on their own, but clearly they weren’t getting anywhere and the clock was ticking.

On the other hand, calling Lucifer now felt terribly like she was using him, and even giving him false hope. She still didn’t know where she stood with her recent revelation. Did she still want to work with him ? Would she even be able to ? Her mind flashed back to memories of suspects cowering in a corner, whining and crying in terror. Now she knew what had caused those reactions. It wasn’t just the sight of his face, even though it was enough to give anyone nightmares. It was the knowledge of the place they were headed, of what was waiting for them on the other side. No wonder Jimmy Barnes ended up in a psych ward.

If she was honest with herself, she always knew there was a dark side to Lucifer. She’d caught glimpses of it from the very begining of their partnership, and she’d accepted it because she felt acutely that working cases with her was helping him rein in that darkness, by getting justice for those who were wronged and punishing those who committed evil.

He needed this. What right did she have to take it away from him ? Whatever her personal feelings were (and what exactly they were, had yet to be determined), she owed it to him to at least try to keep working with him. And if it turned out she couldn’t… well. Maybe someone else at the precinct could. She’d heard Dan and Lucifer made a surprisingly efficient team on occasions.

She fished out her phone and took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how well she would handle this conversation, considering how monosyllabic she was the last time. But it had to be done.

She initiated the call, swallowing nervously. It went directly to voice mail.

« Hum, Lucifer ? It’s me, Chloe », she said, hating how high pitched and unnatural her voice sounded, even to her own ears. « I guess Dan’s messages must have tipped you off already, but, well, we could really use your help over here. Please let me know as soon as you get this. It’s urgent. »

She’d purposefully kept it as impersonal as possible. She was not at all comfortable discussing their more personal issues in a voicemail. She just hoped it would be enough.

 

If his resounding lack of response was anything to go by, it wasn’t.

Dan was beside himself. Pierce’s men were all but laughing at them by now, and Chloe had to stop him before he punched one in the face. She rushed him out of the interrogation room and led him to the break room, to give him some time to cool down.

« We have to do this by the book », she reminded him. « It’s a sensitive case, even if Pierce is dead we’re still going against a Lieutenant, our direct superior, without any solid proof so far to back us up. Any slip from us will hurt our credibility, which isn’t great to begin with. »

« I know all that ! » he snapped, before he recovered. « Sorry », he mumbled. « I didn’t mean to yell at you. »

« I know. Don’t worry, I get it. You’ve got every reason to be upset right now. »

« Any word from Lucifer ? » he asked without much conviction.

She checked her phone.

« No, still nothing. »

« Of course. As unreliable as ever », he sighed bitterly.

 

Chloe was starting to feel really nervous now. A painful knot in her stomach slowly tightened as she remembered how she’d felt when she saw him leave the loft. Was he deliberately ignoring her ? Could he have left town already ?... Was he ok ?

She called again, and although his phone rang this time, she still ended up on voicemail. She left another message, more pressing than the first one.

« Look, I know my reaction earlier was… bad. I’m sorry. I just need some time to process. It’s _a lot_. Just… come to the precinct as soon as you can, please. We need you. », she finished, hardly containing the rising panic in her voice.

 

As the minutes flew by, she kept checking her phone, only to the same disappointing result. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe he was just having drinks at Lux, or having an orgy. Or maybe he was passed out on drugs in the penthouse, too out of it to hear his phone.

Maybe she should go check on him.

Her mind took her back once again to very unpleasant memories of white sheets, and for a wild second she was awfully tempted to call Linda for moral support, like the last time he’d skipped town. Now she wasn’t sure if she needed the support in case she couldn’t find him, or in case she did find him.

As she got out of the precinct and into her car, she tried not to think too much about what would happen once she came face to face with him.

It was already evening, and outside the sky was getting darker. While she was driving her phone rang and she picked it up hurriedly.

« Lucifer ?! »

« Pumpkin ? » said Penny’s voice, worried. « Is everything alright ? You sound very tense. »

Chloe repressed a frustrated groan. Not that she wasn’t glad to get a call from her mother, but it wasn’t who she’d hoped to hear.

« Huh, I-I’m fine, Mom », she lied. « How was your day with Trixie ? »

While Penny chatted on the phone, she suddenly realised that she’d been so caught up in the case and Lucifer that she hadn’t thought at all about Maze. If Lucifer was really the Devil, then Maze… really was a demon.

Which, in hindsight, explained _so much_.

Then Amenadiel… could only be an angel.

And Charlotte… What did that make Charlotte ? God’s ex-wife ? A Goddess ? Lilith or some other biblical character ? Yet she was killed by something as mundane as a gunshot. Well, why not : a simple bullet could injure the Devil himself. Sometimes. It didn’t make any sense. Who was she kidding, all of this was _completely bonkers_.

« Hum, Mom, can I ask you a huge favor ? I know you were only supposed to keep Trixie until tomorrow, but is it ok if she stays with you a few more days ? I’m working on this very big case right now, Dan and I are both on it actually, and I’ll feel safer if Trixie is with you while I’m… figuring it out. It would only be for a few days. »

« Oh my, are you in danger ? »

Chloe could literally hear her mother blanch on the phone, and she mentally slapped herself. She usually knew better than to worry her Mom about the hazards of police work.

« No, Mom, don’t worry, I’m fine », she said hastily. « It’s just… It’s a very, huh, delicate case and I don’t want to risk Trixie seeing or hearing things that could be disturbing to her. We’re all on edge here. It’s only a precaution. »

« I see. Well of course, Sweetheart, Trixie can stay for as long as you need. Just don’t push yourself too hard. You seem exhausted. »

« Yeah… It’s been a very long day. »

And only now did she realize just how true it was. Actually, it wasn’t just today. Ever since Charlotte was killed, she hadn’t had a chance to rest. Two nights had passed and she barely slept, too busy investigating Pierce. Then there was today : ambushed by her ex-fiance the Sinnerman, shot at (as the throbbing pain in her chest kept reminding her), blacking out and waking up on a helipad where she could only assume she was literally flown to safety, then realising her partner was the literal Devil. And all that was only this morning.

She was pretty sure she held the record of the craziest day ever. Soon she’d need to join the list of Linda’s patients.

                                 

Night had fallen completely when she reached Lux. The club was closed, which spared her the trouble of scanning the crowd in search of the owner, even though he did have a tendency to stand out.

She got into the elevator, trying to mentally prepare herself for whatever she would find in the penthouse.

When the doors opened, she was only greeted by darkness and perfect silence. She reached for the light switch, with a grim sense of déjà-vu.

She literally held her breath when she turned on the light.

There were no white sheets on the furniture this time. Everything was as it always was. Only missing one Devil.

Maybe he just went out to blow off some steam, she thought. Maybe he’ll be back later tonight. Probably with some company.

Should she stay, wait for him ? Or just go home and finally get some sleep ?

She didn’t particularly relish the prospect of surprising him in his home while he was getting it on with one (or a few) of his lovers. But she knew her reaction to his face had hurt him deeply. She needed to make sure he was okay, at least.

 

She sat, or rather let herself fall on the sofa, feeling the exhaustion of the last few days finally catch up with her. She took a peek at the bruise where the bullet had hit her. It was turning a rather ugly shade of black and green… But at least she was alive. Just a few millimeters higher, and it would have been the end of Chloe Jane Decker.

It was still hard to accept that Marcus had turned out to be the Sinnerman, a cold blooded monster leading a double life and lying to her face all along. That he would have let her die without a second thought. How could she have been so completely wrong about him ?

She felt physically ill at the thought that she almost married that man.

It was bad enough that she had sex with him, trusted him with the most intimate parts of herself… let her daughter be alone with him. She could punch herself. How could she have been so blind ? So stupid ?...

She hugged herself protectively and shivered, even though the LA breeze coming through the bay window was far from cold.

She felt so foolish… and so betrayed.

Did she make the same mistake with Lucifer ? Was he really the monster religion made him out to be ? Or did the Bible have it all wrong ?

For years they’d worked side by side. She’d risked her life, her job for him. They’d saved each other’s lives more times than she could count. She’d trusted him without restraint, let him inside her life, her work, her home… her heart. Let him become an essential part of her tiny, ordinary existence.

Yes, he did tell her the truth about who he was. Repeatedly.

But all the while, he knew there was no way she would believe him. It was hiding in plain sight. What he would call « bluffing ». Basically, it was lying, despite his claims that he never lied.

He could have given her proof much sooner. He could have _made_ her believe him, instead of keeping her in the dark. If he really wanted her to know the truth, if he really wanted to be honest with her, he could have found ways. He _should_ have. Why didn’t he ?

 

She tried to mentally go over all the things he’d said about himself that she’d overlooked when she thought it was just his endless delusionnal ravings. All the light comments about Hell, and what it was like. He kept saying he didn’t create Hell, he only worked there, because his father wanted him to, then he got tired of it and left.

 

_No one chooses to be a sin eater, Detective._ _No one wants to be custodian of the world's filth. Absorbing the worst humanity has to offer, day in and day out. Changes you._

_I didn’t choose it. Why would anyone choose to be vilified?_

 

_All I ever wanted was to be my own man here. To be judged for my own doing._

 

But no matter how far in her memories she tried to go, she always ended up replaying the same moment :

 

_I was afraid. Afraid that you’d want me only because you saw certain sides of me. That if you saw all of me, knew all of me… You’d run away._

 

Hot tears started to blur her vision. Could she seriously blame him for holding back all this time ? How many times had she told him she was there for him, how many times had she urged him to talk to her, yet every time he tried she blew him off.

She’d avoided the truth like a coward. She’d been a complete hypocrite.

If he had his faults, then she definitely had hers. Maybe he wouldn’t have held back so much if she’d really listened.

She’d let him down, time and time again. No wonder he was avoiding her now.

 

_You can’t understand, Detective. And you never will._

 

She remembered now, his frustration, his distress even, everytime she refused to believe him. He did try to tell her. Maybe even to show her, she realised as she recalled their fiasco of a conversation in Ella’s lab, after the desert.

Just _how much_ had she ignored ? A lot. Way too much for someone who supposedly cared.

And realisation suddenly hit her.

What she had been feeling all day, ever since she saw his face.

She definitely wasn’t scared of him.

She wasn’t even mad at him, not really.

She was mad at herself.

And so, so ashamed.


	4. This is how friendship works, I believe ?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Candy observed Lucifer thoughtfully as he kept drinking himself into a stupor. He was in the same state he had been when they first met. And it was obvious it was for the same reason.
> 
> Was this going to be a thing ? Him running to her club everytime something bad happened with Chloe ?

« So… You finally screwed it up with your Detective, huh ? »

For all answer, Lucifer emptied his glass and signalled to the barmaid to fill it again.

« Leave the bottle, will you darling ? » he slurred.

The barmaid raised an eyebrow skeptically. He looked like he already had ten too many. Hot, though, she mused as she eyed him a little more closely. She would totally hit that, assuming he was still able to get it up in the state he was…

« It’s ok Vanessa, leave the bottle », Candy said sharply, shaking her out of her lustful reverie. « On the house. »

Vanessa knew better than to argue with her boss. She left the bottle of Fletcher’s most expensive whisky and left to take care of other clients of the club.

Candy observed Lucifer thoughtfully as he kept drinking himself into a stupor. He was in the same state he had been when they first met. And it was obvious it was for the same reason.

Was this going to be a thing ? Him running to her club everytime something bad happened with Chloe ?

« I can’t stay in LA », he said lowly, staring at the bottom of his glass. « I can’t be around her anymore. »

Candy frowned.

« What, she filed a restraining order or something ? Or is it about your dad again ? »

He shook his head sadly.

« My dad has nothing to do with it. It’s me. All me. My fault. »

He looked so forlorn, so defeated, her heart broke for him.

« Well, maybe it isn’t as bad as you think », she said reasonably. « Maybe there’s some kind of misunderstanding, and you guys just need to talk it out. »

He let out a mirthless laugh.

« I don’t think so », he answered darkly.

He wasn’t giving her much to work with. Usually he wouldn’t shut up about his beloved Detective and his father’s elaborate manipulations, although she never really understood that last part.

« Ok, look, you’ve saved my neck twice. I helped you out once, so technically I still owe you one. And I really don’t think that giving you an ethylic coma for free is the best way to return the favor. »

He muttered something that sounded very much like « if only » but she ignored it.

« Obviously I don’t know what happened between you and the Detective. But what I _do_ know, is that you care deeply about her. And from what I’ve seen, she cares a lot about you too. And clearly the two of you make a great team. You’ve got completely different personalities, and somehow you complement each other perfectly. You guys are like two halves of an apple, like the yin and the yang, like Starsky and Hutch… »

Lucifer straightened on his stool and scowled down at her in offended confusion.

« I beg your pardon ? »

« …like Bones and Booth ! » she said rolling her eyes, and his eyebrows shot up. « Anyway, my point is, you’re a match made in heaven. »

He barked another shrill laugh, as if what she just said contained a particularly hilarious joke.

She ignored that too and soldiered on :

« You and I on the other hand, we get each other, because we’re similar in many ways. And I think _maybe_ one of these ways is that we have a tendency to turn everything into drama. And, don’t get me wrong, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, I’m a show-woman. In Vegas ! I would be pretty lame on stage if I wasn’t a bit extra » she said gesturing at her pink curls and the slinky glittery dress showcasing her generous curves. « But what I’m trying to say is, sometimes we overreact, or we draw conclusions too quickly, and make ourselves miserable over situations that maybe are not as hopeless as we think. »

He sighed in exasperation.

« It _is_ hopeless. You don’t understand. »

She cocked her head slightly, encouraging him to carry on.

« There are things about me that she didn’t know until now… Bad things. Scary things. Now she saw what I really am. She knows I’m a monster. »

It was Candy’s turn to frown.

« A monster ? » she said in disbelief. « You ?! »

« I’m the Devil », he said gravely.

« Yeah, see ? There it is : drama », she pointed.

He turned away with a grimace and refilled his drink.

« No, listen, I hear you. You’re Lucifer Morningstar. The Devil, Lord of Hell, Prince of Darkness, yadi yadi yada. But you’re not a monster ! You know what a real monster is ? A monster is someone you’ve known all your life, someone you trust and love like family, who turns on you without warning and tries to kill you for money. A monster is someone who rapes a child. A monster is someone who hurts others and gets off on it. You ? You’re not a monster. »

He sunk in deep, troubled thought at her words, which wasn’t quite the reaction she was going for.

Did he do something that bad then ? She couldn’t claim to know all that much about him. He was richer than Croesus ; how he made that much money was a mystery, and certainly illegal, because clearly – and despite his work as a consultant for the LAPD – he didn’t live his life within the strict bounds of legality. She also knew he’d grown up in a fucked up family with a controlling father, a scheming mother who looked like his hot sister, and a bunch of siblings, most of whom were still giving him the silence treatment over some stupid teenage rebellion that happened ages ago. He was a bit of a nutjob with his whole Devil thing, but she’d seen worse – this was Vegas, after all. But most importantly, he never struck her as someone malevolent, quite the opposite. All the actions she’d seen from him showed that he was a kind, caring soul.

When she saw him sitting at the bar, looking like the world had ended, she thought he must have pulled another silly stunt like fake marrying someone and shoving it in Chloe’s face… and she naturally assumed that his partner finally ran out of patience and sent him packing. But this time it seemed to be something more serious.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden buzzing coming from the inside pocket of Lucifer’s jacket.

« Oooh, maybe it’s her ! » she nudged him excitedly.

Lucifer shrugged it off, glued to his drink.

« It’s probably just Daniel yelling at me again for killing Pierce. He’s been calling all day », he said carelessly.

Candy blinked. He killed someone ? Well that explained it all.

« Oh… So that’s why you left LA ? Because you’re wanted for murder ? »

« What ? No ! », he said as if the idea was utterly ridiculous. « Pierce was Cain, the Sinnerman… A criminal mastermind », he explained. « The Detective told everyone I acted in self defense, which I suppose is sort of true. I mean he did try to kill me, and he could have, with Maze’s blade. »

« Ok, so you killed a suspect because he tried to kill you », she summarized.

« Absolutely not ! I killed him because he almost got the Detective killed, killed Charlotte Richards, and tried to kill Amenadiel. He deserved it », he said with finality. « Also », he added as an afterthoutgh, « I wanted to make sure that he died before he found a way to restore his mark and be immortal again, because then he would have stayed on Earth forever and he would never have received the punishment he deserved in Hell. »

« Right », Candy nodded, displaying her best poker face. « So… wait, if Pierce was such a bad guy, why is Dan mad at you ? »

« Because Daniel was in love with Charlotte, and he blames me because he wanted Pierce to be arrested. Which is rather silly if you ask me, because as far as punishment goes, spending eternity torturing yourself in Hell is much more efficient than a few decades in prison. »

« I see… And… Where does the Detective being mad at you fit in all this ? She agrees with Dan ? »

All the animation he’d gained in their little exchange deflated pitifully.

« She’s not… mad at me. She’s afraid of me », he said in a small voice.

« Because you killed Pierce ? »

He looked down, shamefaced. Candy wasn’t buying it.

« Come on, Dude, she’s a cop, she knows the difference between a cold blooded murderer and someone who’s got her back. She did cover for you, didn’t she ? »

« Well, yes, but… »

« Do you really think she would have done that if she thought you were the same kind of psycho as that Pierce guy ? »

« Well she did almost marry him, so I’m not really sure… »

« What ?! » Candy let out in shock.

« Yes, he was our Lieutenant this past year. »

« That’s… totally messed up. »

« Indeed », he said, emptying his glass. « Anyway, none of that matters now. The Detective and I can’t be a team anymore, or… anything else. I ruined everything, and the best thing I can do for her now is stay away. »

Candy’s shoulders sagged as she contemplated everything he just told her. He poured himself one last drink – after that the bottle was already empty.

« Well », she sighed, « you’re right, it does sound pretty hopeless. Which is a bummer, because I still owe you that favor. »

« I appreciate the sentiment darling, but truly you don’t owe me anything. The second time I was only making sure that I’d filled my end of the bargain on our little deal. I do have certain standards to maintain after all. »

« Fine. Then, as a _friend_ who’s life you’ve saved twice, I’m concerned for you, and I wanna help you feel better. Stay at my place tonight. I’ve got tons of ice cream is the freezer. And booze, of course. »

She was rewarded by a little smile that almost reached his eyes.

« When you present it like that, it’s hard to refuse. »

 

It was around three in the morning when Lucifer finally passed out on the couch, wrapped in her pink snuggy. He looked adorable in his sleep ; his mussed up hair gave him an innocent, childlike air. Candy sighed, watching him. She always had a soft spot for broken boys, but clearly this one wasn’t getting over his Detective any time soon and she’d been the rebound girl a few times to many. She had no desire to do that again.

Lucifer moved in his sleep, and something fell on the floor with a thumping sound. His phone.

She picked it up machinally, and was about to put it on the coffee table, but then she thought better of it. She glanced at him ; he was still fast asleep.

There was no harm in checking who had been calling him, she told herself as she turned on the screen. She wasn’t being nosy. She was having his back. He wouldn’t mind the indiscretion any more than he’d minded her stealing his money and ring on their first meeting.

 « Det. Douche » (Dan, she presumed) had called over ten times during the afternoon, and left several messages. And then, as she suspected : Chloe (the contact said « The Detective » as though it was her actual name, which made her smile) had left three voicemails in the course of the late afternoon and evening, then she’d texted him around 11pm. He hadn’t seen any of those, convinced it was still Dan harassing him… or maybe he had, but couldn’t find the courage to check them out in fear of what his Detective had to say.

She paused. She was very tempted to read the text, but wasn’t it taking her little exploration a bit too far ? The content was none of her business. On the other hand, the poor guy was already at the end of his rope. More rejection from Chloe at this point would be more than he could bear… and since he was determined to stay out of her life anyway, he didn’t need the additional pain. If Chloe was cutting him out of her life, she would delete the messages.

She opened the text.

Read it.

Looked up at Lucifer, blissfully comatose on the couch.

« You big dummy », she murmured, shaking her head.

She put the phone in plain view on the table, with the text still open so it would be the first thing to appear once Lucifer finally looked at the screen. Then she went to bed.

When she woke up the next morning, Devil and phone had disappeared. All the empty bottles and ice cream buckets were gone, the dishes were made, a delicious breakfast was waiting for her on the kitchen table, and on top of a neatly folded pink snuggie, she found a note that said :

 

« Thank you.

And if you need favors in the future, do ask, and you’ll get them all for free.

This is how friendship works, I believe ? ».

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have a very busy week so I might take longer to write the next chapter... Hope you enjoyed this one!


	5. Speak of the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took her a second to realize that something was wrong. She had the unpleasant feeling of being watched. Someone else was here.
> 
> An audible snort to her right made her turn her head.
> 
> “Honestly Decker could you be more embarrassing ? I wasn’t even trying to be sneaky or anything.” Maze said, mirth dancing in her eyes.

She had the most agreeable dream, although she couldn’t remember the details. All that remained was a wonderful feeling of safety and peace, and the sensation that she was nestled in a cocoon of warmth and light, enveloped in something soft like cotton or… feathers.

She opened her eyes, and realized that she wasn’t in her bed, or in her home. She was still in the Penthouse, and her cheek was stuck to the upholstery of the couch. She’d fallen asleep waiting for Lucifer, and had stayed there all night : now it was day. Wait, what time was it exactly ?

She sat bolt upright and frantically searched for her phone. It took her a second to realize that something was wrong. She had the unpleasant feeling of being watched. Someone else was here.

An audible snort to her right made her turn her head.

“Honestly Decker could you be more embarrassing ? I wasn’t even trying to be sneaky or anything.” Maze said, mirth dancing in her eyes.

Chloe gaped at her, speechless. Maze’s amusement quickly faded and her expression became uncomfortable.

“I wasn’t following you”, she said defensively. “I figured I’d crash here for the night since I didn’t have time to find a new apartment yet. I couldn’t imagine that you’d be here. This is the last place I would have expected to find you, now that you know.”

“You… You’re moving out again ?” Chloe said in a small voice.

“Well, duh”, the demon replied, with an intonation that she’d clearly inherited from Trixie. “Obviously you won’t want me around your kid anymore. And I don’t see the point of staying if you’re gonna get all jumpy whenever I show up. Anyway”, she said, putting on a hard face, “I’t not like I didn’t know this would happen eventually. At least for once His Dumbassery was considerate enough to give me the heads up.”

“Maze, I… you don’t have to move out.”

Maze looked at her dubiously.

“Really ? I’m a _demon_. My job is to torture human souls. And I _like_ it. _A lot_.”, she said brutally. “You’re telling me you’re fine with that ?”

“I…”

Chloe’s voice broke. Saying that she was « fine » with everything would be stretching it. It was going to take her a long while to adjust to her new reality, to the idea that Heaven and Hell were real, that God, angels and demons were actual beings and not just myths or concepts. And that several of them happened to be some of the most important people in her life. Her entire worldview was going to change profoundly, and some parts were going to be more difficult to wrap her head around than others. Like the existence of Hell. And pretty much everything about it.

But this was Maze. And it wasn’t like her roommate’s devious penchants were anything new to her.

“Look, I can’t promise that everything will just go back to normal in a blink of an eye. And maybe I will be a little… “jumpy” for a while. This is all very new to me and very, _very_ weird. But if you think that I would be afraid of you harming Trixie, or me… I’m not. You’re my _friend_ , Maze. I trust you. It doesn’t matter wether you’re a demon, or… or a werewolf, or an alien, or whatever. Nothing will change that.”

For a full ten seconds Maze simply stared at her, still as a statue. Then her dark eyes started glistening and she blinked rapidly.

“Ok then”, she cleared her voice, quickly rising from the armchair she’d been sitting on. “Works for me. Moving in and out of that place all the time was getting exhausting. I wasn’t even done unpacking from the last time.”

Chloe smiled, feeling like a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. When Maze reached the elevator, she suddenly remembered where she was, and why she was here in the first place.

“Wait… So Lucifer didn’t come home at all last night ?”

Maze cocked an eyebrow, and all signs of emotion melted away like the snow in the sun.

“You mean you don’t know ? He left town. That’s why I came here, I thought the place would be empty.”

There was a clear bitterness in her voice but Chloe barely registered it. Her mind was buzzing, and for a moment she found it hard to breathe.

Maze shrugged.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure he’ll run back here as soon as you tell him to.”

The doors of the elevator closed on her, leaving Chloe alone with her thoughts.

What Maze had said confirmed her fears. She’d driven him away, and now he was gone. What had she done ? She started looking for her phone again, and finally found it on the coffee table. The battery was dead.

 

She left the penthouse in a hurry and once she got to her car she turned on the radio to check the time. It was still early. She had enough time to go home, charge the phone and check for messages, make some coffee and take a quick shower before she went back to the precinct.

She plugged the phone to the charger as soon as she arrived in the appartment. The moment the screen lit up she saw it, and her heart lept. He’d answered. Finally.

The text was laconic, to say the least ; there wasn’t even a single emoji or inappropriate gif. But she wasn’t picky. Especially considering what he was saying :

“Just saw your text. On my way back to LA shortly. Should be at the precinct by noon.”

She let out a deep breath, feeling a wave of pure relief course through her. He didn’t disappear forever without a trace. He was ok. And sure, the message wasn’t exactly radiating warmth and joie de vivre, but he wasn’t telling her to fuck off either, so there was that.

She texted back a brief message then leapt in the shower. The ecchymosis on her upper chest was hurting like a bitch ; she might have to get an x-ray done to make sure she didn’t crack a bone or two. While she examined it her fingers lingered on an older wound, not far from this one. The spot where Jimmy Barnes had shot her, on the very first case Lucifer and her had worked together. He’d saved her back then too.

Her imagination showed her the loft again, Pierce’s body and all the bloody feathers. Was it _his_ blood ? Had he shielded her from the bullets the same way he had that first time ? She closed her eyes, feeling suddenly weak in the knees. _He’s okay_ , she reminded herself. She saw him take a shot in the belly once, and be up and about five minutes later as if nothing had happened, despite all the blood. He was the _Devil_ after all. Obviously human rules didn’t apply to him. Still, she promised herself that she would clarify as soon as possible what could actually hurt him and what was safe. If they were still going to work cases together, she wasn’t taking any chances.

 

Dan wasn’t happy when she told him they’d have to wait until 12am for Lucifer to be here.

“Are you kidding me ? What could he possibly have to do that is more important than this case ? Charlotte was his step-mom ! Can he really not care about anyone else than himself ? Not even his family ?”

Choe didn’t know what to say to appease him, and it didn’t seem like anything would. Dan was grieving and angry, and since the one responsible was no longer here, his ire was cristallizing on the one person who, in his mind, had robbed him of that : Lucifer.

She exchanged a look with Ella, who immediately took things over. She took them both to her lab to go over the progress made with the case so far. Just her talking and going thouroughly over everything they’d found seemed to ground him and distract him from his frustration, at least for a while.

“… and it looks like Pierce has been really careless in the end”, she finally said with a triumphant smile that they knew well. “I checked the history in his cellphone, and guess what ? Right after I went to his office to tell him that Dan was on to him, he called his guy (you know, our friend at Lucifer’s penthouse ?). So we do have something that ties him directly to the Sinnerman’s organization.”

“Great job, Ella”, Chloe said. “And hopefully when Chicago PD gets back to you we’ll have more to work with.”

“What about ballistics ? Anything useful there to incriminate Pierce ?” Dan asked.

“Weeell, not _exactly_.” Ella made a face. “I gathered from the evidence that Pierce opened fire six times. And the number of bullet holes on Lucifer’s shirt matches the number of fires shot from the gun, _and_ the number of bullets shot from that gun that we found on the scene. They were all on the floor in the same area, and my guess is that they were all shot in a span of a few seconds, all at the same target: Lucifer. Luckily, they were all aimed at his abdomen and chest, so they hit Lucifer’s bullet proof vest. _But_ we still haven’t put our hands on Lucifer’s vest, which is superweird. I’m wondering if someone on the team is tampering with evidence. I really wish I had that vest so I could examine it and prove that it was hit by Pierce’s bullets.”

“And speaking of weird”, she continued, “I got something… interesting, although not really useful for the case. It’s from Pierce’s body, and the partials on the knife.”

Chloe tensed. Dan frowned in concentration, waiting for Ella to spill it.

“We know from Lucifer’s statement that he stabbed Pierce, right ? But it’s not his prints that I found on the knife. It’s Pierce’s. And where it gets really interesting, in a rather creepy way, it’s that according to the autopsy report, Pierce’s hand was crushed, like, literally every bone in his fingers was shattered in little pieces by a tremendous force. It’s like… incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Ok, then, what caused that ?” Dan asked, confused.

Chloe didn’t need to ask. She’d understood exactly where Ella was going with this.

“Lucifer”, Ella answered simply. “He caused that.”

Dan shook his head.

“I don’t get it.”

“Me neither, Dude. It defies logic : we’re to believe that Pierce came at him with the knife at full force with those big muscly arms of his”, she mimed, “then Lucifer just grabbed his hand, crushed it, and plunged the knife into his chest, with Pierce’s fingers still pressed around the handle. He literally forced Pierce to stab himself. I mean, we’ve all heard the tale about the Mom who lifts a car to save her child. And, yeah, sure, in some circumstances the adrenaline rush enhances your abilities, makes you stronger, faster, everything “er”. But this ? Wow. I guess our boy Lucifer was _really_ furious after you were shot”, she said, adressing a pointed look at Chloe.

Chloe nodded nervously without a word, and glanced at Dan, who seemed lost in thought.

“I mean”, Ella mused, “add to that the bunch of feathers that we found on the scene, that _apparently_ belong to no bird species known to man, and one might start wondering if Lucifer is not _actually_ a supernatural creature, like, say, an angel, or… the Devil.”

Chloe started, and gave her a sharp look. Dan quirked his eyebrows.

“Not… that I _think_ he’s actually the Devil”, she corrected, raising her hands. “And I certainly wouldn’t say that in front of him, I mean, I wouldn’t want to encourage him or anything. But still. There’s a lot of weird stuff happening on this case, and a supernatural explanation would _almost_ fit better than a realistic one. But… of course, I will keep digging and find a real, rational explanation for all this. Because, I’m sane, and that’s my job, and I’m a professional.”

Chloe bit her lip. Should she say something? Wasn’t keeping Ella and Dan in the dark hurting the case? And more than that, as her friends, didn’t they deserve to know the truth?

But would they even believe her if she told them everything? Ella might. But in his current mood, Dan would likely think she was just joking and making light of the case, which would only piss him off more. Or worse, he’d think she’d gone mad.

In any case, it seemed wiser to wait until Lucifer was here before she started telling everyone he was the actual Devil.

 

Both Chloe and Dan spent the rest of the morning searching Pierce’s office. They didn’t know what exactly they were looking for : anything that could tie him to Sinnerman’s activities and the members of his gang. Eventually Chloe discovered something a little different: a series of files about Lucifer, Charlotte, Amenadiel, Maze… and other people who, she assumed, weren’t exactly human.

She opened Lucifer’s file, and stood there in shock. Pierce had collected every possible information he could for several years, apparently going back to Lucifer’s arrival in Los Angeles. She didn’t know if she was more fascinated by his dedication, or horrified. What was the point of keeping tabs on angels and demons like that?

Some of the documents in the file didn’t make sense to her: a picture of an empty grave in the middle of the woods, some people she’d never met, some notes written in a language or a code she couldn’t decipher… And others were only too familiar: the fake wings sold at an auction, Lux, even Linda’s office... For some reason he had seemed to be particularly interested in the Carver Cruz case and what had happened in the warehouse – that time she shot Lucifer – and their confrontation with Malcolm in the airport hangar. Both times Lucifer had been hurt. Was this not supposed to have happened then? Is that why Pierce was so interested is those two cases?

Then she saw something that made her smile: a picture of Lucifer juggling breast implants on a crime scene, looking happy like a child and herself rolling her eyes at him like an exhausted kindergarten teacher. The _actual Devil_ , immortal being more ancient than the sun itself and ex ruler of Hell, who could break bones like twigs and terrify hardened criminals into a crying mess with a mere glimpse of his face, was just a giant dork with the mental age of a 12 year old. Who knew?

“Detective?”

Her heart stopped. Slowly, wondering if she’d really heard it or if she’d dreamt his voice, she lifted her head and raised her eyes. There he was. Standing awkwardly in front of her desk, looking at her like a deer caught in the headlights, was the Devil himself, his hair neatly groomed and his grey Armani suit fresh from the cleaner.

**Author's Note:**

> Now that Lucifer is saved I can serenely think about what awaits us in season 4! And since it's gonna be a while before we get to see it, here's my take on what could happen next.  
> I don't know how many chapters this little fic will have, and I have no idea where it's going. :p
> 
> Reminder: english is not my first language so I apologize if some words or turns of phrases are weird and / or wrong.


End file.
